90% Silver...

The new Pittman Act had authorized the production of new silver dollars, and the existing Morgan Dollar design that was about to be reissued in 1921 could easily be replaced by a new “peace” design at the whim of the Treasury Secretary. As the date of a new and important disarmament conference approached in Washington, officials in the Harding Administration began to be more enthusiastic about the idea of a peace dollar.

On November 19, 1921, James Earle Fraser, an important member of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (and the designer of the Buffalo nickel) sent personal letters to people who had been selected to submit possible designs for a new dollar coin. Among the recipients of Fraser’s letter were Victor Brenner, Adolph Weinman, Chester Beach, Anthony de Francisci, Henry Hering, John Flanagan, and Herman MacNeil. All submissions were due by December 12 (less than a month away). Each design had to include the mottos “In God We Trust” and “E Pluribus Unum,” the word “Liberty,” the words “United States of America,” and the denomination (one dollar). The head of Lady Liberty, rendered in a way that was “as beautiful and full of character as possible,” had to appear on the obverse side of the coin, and an eagle needed to appear on the reverse (as prescribed by the Coinage Act of 1792). Aside from those restrictions, the artists could design what they liked.

This item is considered FINE condition.